Miss District Of Columbia Kára McCullough Crowned Miss USA 2017

It was the second year in a row that a contestant from District of Columbia took the Miss USA title

A 25-year old chemist Kára McCullough from District of Columbia has been crowned Miss USA on Sunday night. She is the second consecutive D.C. contestant to take the Miss America title. Last year, an Army Reserve officer Deshana Barber went on to win the Miss USA pageant.

Kára McCullough, who is Italian-born and works at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, beat fifty one contestants to take the crown during the event taking place in Las Vegas. She will represent US at the Miss Universe contest later this year.

"I'm extremely thankful for this opportunity," McCullough said after the event. "I just want to encourage so many women nationwide to find their passion in any subject possible and understand that nothing is difficult if you really, truly put the work in for it."

The 2017 runner-up was Miss New Jersey Chhavi Verg, a student at Rutgers University. The second runner-up was Miss Minnesota Meridith Gould, who is a student at the University of Minnesota studying apparel retail merchandising.

Before Miss USA is crowned every year, the top contestants are tasked to address world’s issues during the question and answer session. McCullough’s answers about health care spurred a little bit controversy on social media.

“I’m definitely going to say it’s a privilege. As a government employee, I am granted health-care. And I see firsthand that for one to have health-care, you need to have jobs.” She responded when asked if access to medical care was a right, as liberals say, or a privilege, as many conservatives believe.

Later, McCullough, and two remaining participants were asked to explain what they consider feminism to be and whether they consider themselves feminists.

Miss District of Columbia replied. “I don’t want to call myself a feminist. Women, we are just as equal as men, especially in the workplace.”